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The Detroit Lions are looking forward to the 2024 season, hoping to improve their defense, particularly in their pass rush.
So far, they’ve added some new players to their defensive line, which should help.
But some experts think they could do even more, like trading for New York Giants edge rusher Azeez Ojulari.
Kristopher Knox from Bleacher Report recently suggested the Lions as a possible destination for Ojulari.
Even though the Lions have made some solid off-season moves, like picking up Marcus Davenport, Knox believes they still need a stronger pass rusher on the opposite side of Aidan Hutchinson.
Hutchinson, the Lions’ star defensive end, had 11.5 sacks last season, but the team only managed to finish 23rd in the NFL with 41 sacks in 2023.
Ojulari, who was picked 50th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Giants, had an impressive rookie year, recording 8 sacks, 8 tackles for loss, and 13 quarterback hits in 17 games.
Unfortunately, injuries have slowed him down over the last two seasons. Still, if he can stay healthy, Ojulari could be a great addition to the Lions’ defense.
In his first 23 games, he collected 13.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 20 quarterback hits, and 4 forced fumbles—proving he’s got serious potential to shake up opposing offenses.
Despite Ojulari’s potential, trading for him comes with some risks.
Due to injuries, his 2022 season wasn’t great, and he finished with only 2.5 sacks and 7 quarterback hits in 11 games.
He started the year on injured reserve, and even when he came back, he didn’t seem like the same player. With this being the last year of his rookie contract, 2024 is a big year for Ojulari to prove he can return to his old form.
Before deciding to pursue a trade for Ojulari, the Lions will likely want to evaluate how their current defensive pieces perform early in the season.
They’ve made some strong additions, like Marcus Davenport and D.J. Reader, which should help their defense. Davenport had 9 sacks during his best season with the New Orleans Saints in 2021.
Plus, head coach Dan Campbell is excited about Levi Onwuzurike’s progress, who is entering his fourth season.
Campbell recently said, “He’s in a good place right now, I think he’s very much going to be a part of this.”
Onwuzurike and Ojulari were both drafted in 2021, but while Ojulari has shown more so far, if Onwuzurike has a breakout season, the Lions may not need another edge rusher.
Adding Ojulari to the mix could be unnecessary if their current roster steps up and performs well.
For the New York Giants, trading Ojulari could make sense as well.
With the recent addition of Brian Burns and the development of Kayvon Thibodeaux, Ojulari’s role has diminished.
Ojulari hasn’t had a particularly strong training camp, and his preseason performance has been underwhelming.
In 2023, Ojulari ranked 113th out of 120 edge rushers in terms of pass-rush win rate, a huge drop from his promising rookie season.
Given that Ojulari is in the final year of his rookie deal and not a priority for the Giants’ future plans, trading him for some draft picks or other assets could be a smart move.
The Giants could use that extra capital to address other positions of need, like cornerback, where they’re still looking for solid starters.
Meanwhile, there is speculation that the Arizona Cardinals might be interested in Ojulari.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell suggested that the Cardinals, who need pass-rushing help following BJ Ojulari’s injury, could benefit from acquiring Azeez Ojulari.
With the Cardinals’ pass rush lacking proven starters, adding Ojulari could provide them with a low-risk, high-reward player.
Ojulari’s expiring contract and affordable $1.6 million salary make him an attractive trade target. For teams looking to upgrade their defensive line without committing long-term, he could be the perfect fit.
To sum it up, while Azeez Ojulari showed a lot of promise as a rookie, injuries and inconsistent play over the last two years make trading for him a bit risky for the Lions.
Detroit has already made several defensive upgrades this offseason, and they might want to wait and see how those changes pan out before making any more big moves.
However, if Ojulari can stay healthy and regain his rookie form, he could be the extra piece the Lions need to take their defense to the next level in 2024.
But the real question is whether the Lions see him as a risk worth taking.